life-historif of Atjipus piceus. 399 



As previously stated, I captured my first male October 

 20th, 1877, in the nest of the female. I searched a 

 great many times during 1878 for the immature male, 

 which I firmly believed lived in a tube just the same as 

 the female. 



On Oct. 19th, 1878, I examined nearly one hundred 

 tubes, digging up suspicious-looking ones, resetting them 

 if not wanted. One protruding from the bank an inch 

 and a half caught my eye, as looking more dehcately 

 made than the others, besides having an opening at the 

 top, with the edges turned outwards, showing something 

 had escaped. I dug it up with great difficulty, as it was 

 a very delicate one, though not more than four inches 

 long (example). It was, as I expected, empty. I boxed 

 it very carefully, together with the loose debris at the 

 bottom of the tube : this I most carefully examined 

 under my microscope, and at last found two immature 

 palpi (example), proving that the tube had been occupied 

 by an immature male. On Oct. 23rd I dug up two tubes, 

 similar to the above, the edges of the hole turned out- 

 wards, and in each tube I found a pair of immature 

 palpi. I find in my note-book the following : — " I think 

 this proves that the male does either make or ste(d a 

 tube, wherein to come of age. Try digging small 

 tubes." Subsequent experience leads me to think the 

 idea of an immature male turning a female out quite 

 impossihle. 



My next advance was made Sept. 13th, 1881, when I 

 found four males at the bottom of the tubes of the 

 female, and one male alone. This I boxed, together 

 with the tube and dehris, among which I found the two 

 immature palpi. This certainly strengthened my case, 

 but it was not until July 6th, 1883, at Woking, that I 

 dug eighteen small tubes, about four inches_ long 

 (examples), from a bank covered three or four inches 

 deep with pine-needles. I examined each occupant 

 under my microscope ; one of them was of a much 

 lighter colour than the others, and when I did manage 

 to get the palpi into the field, at last I saw the immature 

 male before me. After thoroughly satisfying myself I 

 directed his footsteps towards the open end of the tube, 

 which I had stretched wide : he soon disappeared. I 

 reset this one in a flower-pot, examined it from day to 

 day until July 17th, when I perceived an unpleasant 



